Why are tamales a christmas tradition?
The tradition of tamales dates back to Meso-American times when, long before the Spaniards arrived, Mesoamericans believed that God crafted humans from corn. Because corn was so important, preciously wrapped tamales became a part of ritual offerings, a human stand-in, of sorts.
Are tamales for christmas?
During the holiday season in December, Texas families of Hispanic heritage often celebrate by gathering to make tamales. Making tamales for the Christmas holidays is a tradition that has been passed down for decades by Texans such as the Molina family of Abilene, which is of Mexican heritage.
Do Latinos eat tamales?
For many Latinos in the United States, the holiday season is synonymous with tamales. Families gather together to make and eat these beloved packages, often well into the new year.
What do tamales symbolize?
For one Southwest Detroit business, tamales symbolize family, heritage and a way of life. As thousands of Metro Detroiters prepare their holiday feasts, dinner tables in many homes wouldn’t be complete without tamales.
What is a Christmas tamale?
Traditionally, tamales are made around Christmas time. While they are not difficult to make, preparing the fillings and masa—a flour made of corn soaked in lime juice and water—and spreading, folding, tying, and steaming the tamales is quite labor intensive.
Why is there an olive in tamales?
To traditional Christian believers, each tamale can be considered a metaphor or symbol for the Holy Virgin. After all, every real Mexican tamale must have an olive in it. On one level, that olive represents the Christ child waiting to be born — as he is every year at Christmas.
What is the cultural significance of tamales?
Tamales were also considered sacred, as they were seen as the food of the gods. Aztec, Maya, Olmeca, and Tolteca all considered themselves to be people of corn and so tamales played a large part in their rituals and festivals.
Why are tamales so special?
It is leftover from pre-Hispanic times when pre-Hispanic gods were honored with tamales. Tamales were important in that period because it was a bread made with corn and corn was the flesh that the gods decided to use to give form to humans.
What is the tradition behind tamales?
Typically tamales consist of a meat of your choice, processed corn, fillings of your choice, and leaf or other wrappers. Back when it was first made however, there was no corn like how it is today so the forerunner for modern day corn was the teocintle, this was the basis of the tamale.
What is a Tamalada?
Tamaladas are gatherings wherein the main goal is simple: Make tamales. And lots of them.
Where did the tradition of tamales come from?
Tamales originated from Mesoamerica from as early as 8000 to 5000 B.C. From here it spread to Mexico, Guatemala and the rest of Latin America. The word “tamale” derives from the Nahuatl word “Tamal” one of the Aztec’s primary language during their empire.
Do olives belong in tamales?
Traditional tamales will often have one green olive tucked in the filling. Eating these tamales can be kind of dicey, a variation of Russian roulette, because often the green olive will contain a seed.